“Iran–Rah” Initiative Highlighted in Russian Journal on Regional Transportation

Transportation and logistics are central to Iran’s economic growth, both domestically and internationally, according to Former Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Mehrdad Bazrpash.

The “Iran–Rah” initiative leverages Iran’s strategic land and sea access to enhance its role in global transit corridors.

Bazrpash emphasized that adversarial pressures and regional competition have previously aimed to isolate Iran from key transit routes.

Developing Iran’s geo-economic capacity requires completing corridor chains, streamlining border processes, and harmonizing documentation among neighboring countries, according to the article.

By early 2024, the “Iran–Rah” project had increased Iran’s road freight transport by 14.7 million tons compared with 2022, a 58 percent growth.

The success is attributed to infrastructure investments, prioritization of transportation projects, strategic diplomatic efforts, and enhanced logistics software systems.

The article employs a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses of Iran’s transport infrastructure, policy environment, and geopolitical positioning within regional and international corridors.

Mohammad Hossein Soroush, Ph.D. student in Public International Law at the University of Tehran and CEO of the SARAMAD Research Institution, contributed to the study.

Bazrpash, currently an assistant professor at the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting University (IRIBU) in Tehran, served as minister from 2022 to 2024.

The initiative is part of Iran’s broader effort to strengthen its role in the International North–South Transport Corridor and to solidify the country’s strategic transport and logistics capabilities.